Marlin & Ray's closes

Published: Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 11:42 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 11:42 a.m.

Employees of Marlin & Ray's, which opened in late May at 11 Van Campen Blvd., learned of the restaurant's closing during a staff meeting Wednesday night according to a manager on site Thursday morning. The short-lived casual eatery was known for having a seafood-heavy menu and a range of booze-spiked “Adult Slushies.”

The move is part of a larger retraction announced in the company's quarterly report by new Ruby Tuesday Inc. CEO J.J. Buettgen on Wednesday, which sees the company shuttering all of their Marlin & Ray's, Truffles Grill and Wok Hay concepts nationally.

“Over the last several weeks I have been working with the Board and the senior management team to shape our long-term vision for the Company. Based on a significant amount of discussion and analysis, and a clear understanding that driving profitable same-restaurant sales at Ruby Tuesday is our first and most critical priority, we have decided to close our 13 Marlin & Ray's restaurants immediately. While this was a difficult decision to make, we have determined the Marlin & Ray's brand is not an optimal conversion vehicle for us going forward,” Buettgen stated, adding that the company was working to find positions for the affected employees at the brand's Ruby Tuesday and Lime Fresh eateries.

On the local shop's Facebook page, it was reported that gift certificates for Marlin & Ray's would be honored at Ruby Tuesday locations. Plans for the building weren't immediately known.

<p>Employees of Marlin & Ray's, which opened in late May at 11 Van Campen Blvd., learned of the restaurant's closing during a staff meeting Wednesday night according to a manager on site Thursday morning. The short-lived casual eatery was known for having a seafood-heavy menu and a range of booze-spiked “Adult Slushies.”</p><p>The move is part of a larger retraction announced in the company's quarterly report by new Ruby Tuesday Inc. CEO J.J. Buettgen on Wednesday, which sees the company shuttering all of their Marlin & Ray's, Truffles Grill and Wok Hay concepts nationally.</p><p>“Over the last several weeks I have been working with the Board and the senior management team to shape our long-term vision for the Company. Based on a significant amount of discussion and analysis, and a clear understanding that driving profitable same-restaurant sales at Ruby Tuesday is our first and most critical priority, we have decided to close our 13 Marlin & Ray's restaurants immediately. While this was a difficult decision to make, we have determined the Marlin & Ray's brand is not an optimal conversion vehicle for us going forward,” Buettgen stated, adding that the company was working to find positions for the affected employees at the brand's Ruby Tuesday and Lime Fresh eateries.</p><p>On the local shop's <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> page, it was reported that gift certificates for Marlin & Ray's would be honored at Ruby Tuesday locations. Plans for the building weren't immediately known.</p>